The present invention relates to a sealed closure, and in particular, to a sealed closure for a bottle. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to a removable sealed closure for a bottle which includes a closure top and an opening in the seal thereof for a straw, i.e., a drinking straw. The bottle remains sealed even after the bottle top is removed, but allows a straw to be inserted at the appropriate time as desired by the user.
Various patents are known for providing seals on bottles and also for dispensing liquids from the bottles. U.S. Pat. No. 3,230,587 to Griffin et al. discloses a bottle with a self-contained drinking straw. Once the bottle top is removed, the contents of the bottle are exposed to the environment through the self-contained telescoping straw in the bottle.
U.S. Pat. No, 3,392,895 to Fischer discloses a perforable self-sealing container closure. The closure includes a cap element which is perforated by score lines to guide and locate tube penetration for removal of the contents of the bottle without removal of the cap from the bottle. A seal element is provided which is perforable or penetrable so that the tube can break the seal. A sleeve-like region of the seal provides a new seal joint against the tube. The device of this reference does not allow the user the option of removing the contents both through a tube or by drinking the contents directly from the bottle container.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,938,686 discloses a paint container having a multi-laminate seal including pre-stressed films designed to enable a slit to be made in the seal surface permitting access to the paint. The device of this reference relates to wide rimmed containers such as paint containers and not to narrow mouth bottles or containers.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,343,699 to Nicko discloses a combination cap and capping plug for spouts, bottles or the like. This device includes a sheet metal cap having a central opening affording access to a central diaphragm located below the cap. A rubber plug is mounted against the underside of the top wall of the cap and has an outwardly projecting flange adapted to form a seal between the cap the bottle. The plug has a downwardly projecting stopper portion on which the central diaphragm is disposed. A tapping pipe is adapted to penetrate the diaphragm. The plug also has an upwardly projecting annular flange extending around the diaphragm and received in the opening in the cap. A layer of adhesive is disposed between the upper side of the plug and the top wall of the cap. A stopper portion of the plug is adapted to tightly receive the tapping pipe which is disposed through the opening in the cap and the rupturable diaphragm. This reference is similar to the Fischer reference in that the tapping pipe is inserted through a hole in the metal cap, which is not removed.
Other patents of interest include U.S. Pat. No. 4,948,009 to Sawatani for a straw-insertable lid for a paper cup; U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,947 to Leone for a single dose beverage cup and rectangular cross-section straw assembly; U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,946 to Glanz for a safety bottle with a cover having a cut through its top to create an integral one-way valve; U.S. Pat. No. 5,201,459 to Bettle, Jr. et al. for a gable-top beverage container with a dispensing means; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,471 to Wendt for a production piece with partible port and production method therefor.
None of the references provide a simple seal for a bottle cap which seal remains in place after the bottle cap is removed and which affords the user two options in dispensing the contents of the bottle after the cap is removed, namely, penetrating the seal at a prescribed location to allow insertion of a straw or the removal of the seal to allow drinking of the contents of the bottle directly.